If "conservative forms of fatherhood were obviously toxic relative to the Walzian glories of liberal dadhood, you would presumably expect to see those effects made manifest among children," @DouthatNYT. But the data pt in a different direction:
As @JonHaidt has noted, it's progressive young women whose mental health has tanked the most in recent years: afterbabel.com/p/mental-healt…
@JonHaidt And as @jtrothwell @BrookingsInst has found, “Conservative parents are the most likely to adopt the parenting practices associated with adolescent mental health”, which is “warm, responsive, *and* rule-bound, disciplined parenting.” ifstudies.org/blog/parenting…
1. We know the "success sequence" is tied to better economic outcomes for young adults.
The sequence is also tied to better emotional outcomes & less distress. @FamStudies
2. "Even after controlling for income, the sequence remains a significant factor in predicting young adult mental health. Their odds of experiencing high emotional distress by their mid-30s are reduced by about 50% for young adults who have completed the 3 steps of the Success Sequence, after controlling for a range of background factors."
3. One reason this is the case is that the sequence is linked to greater family stability. For instance:
"Millennials who married before having children are more likely to have stable marriages. Among Millennials who followed this path, 73% are in intact families (married / never divorced) by their mid-30s, compared with only 30% of those who had children before or outside of marriage." ifstudies.org/ifs-admin/reso…
1. Parenthood gets a bad rap in MSM (see NYT below).
Given @JonHaidt @jean_twenge research on ideology & mental health, I wondered if negativity driven by progressive commitments of journalists. Turns out:
Striking differences in parental happiness by ideology, per 2022 GSS.
2. Today, "conservative parents are more likely to report they are very happy w their lives" than liberals
✔️33% of conservative parents "very happy" VS
✔️ 22% of liberal parents "very happy"
3. Conservatives also enjoy “higher quality relationships with their children, characterized by fewer arguments, more warmth & a stronger bond, according to both parent and child reporting" per @jtrothwell @BrookingsInst.
@JDVance1 3. @JDVance1 has expressed support for a policy to “make birth free” &, more broadly, policies that ensure that new parents are not hit w/ huge bill for childbirth.
Why the concern re: polyamory, asks @justin_mogilski of the University of South Carolina?
It's not about some antiquated hangup.
It's that monogamy is a major social achievement, as Harvard's @JoHenrich's work has shown.
Why does monogamy matter?
Let me count the ways🧵
Men and women are pulled in a variety of sometimes conflicting directions when it comes to mating. Monogamous societies, @JoHenrich's work suggests, channel mating towards pair bonding. What are the collective benefits?
1) Monogamy reduces rape, murder, and social disorder.
By incorporating a wider range of men into marriage and family life, monogamous marriage also fosters
2) greater investments in children + more economic productivity.
2. One therapist:📱“have caused more upheaval than anything I’ve seen in my career. We’ve normalized them being intrusive & taking precedence when people are lying in bed, playing Wordle or scrolling through TikTok rather than talking to each other.”
Are his concerns merited?
3. Large minority of wives/husbands say spouse is often on phone/screen when they would prefer to talk or do something together as a couple. Specifically: